ABC News/USA Today/KFF Poll, September 2006

This poll, conducted September 7-12, 2006, is part of a
continuing series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on
various political and social issues. Respondents were asked which
issues would be most important in their vote for Congress later that
year, which party they trusted more to handle health care issues, how
satisfactory the quality and total cost of health care was, and
whether or not the number of Americans without insurance was a
critical problem. Information was collected on the status of the
respondents' own health insurance, including whether they were insured
or not, what type of insurance they had, and how long they had been
uninsured. Views were sought on whether health care premiums had been
rising, why they were rising, how it had affected their household, and
how job loss would affect the status and cost of health insurance. A
series of questions asked whether new treatments should always be
covered, whether efforts should go toward reducing health care costs
or reducing the number of Americans without insurance, and whether
there should be a universal health insurance program. The respondents
rated the effectiveness of the current health insurance system, and
they were asked under what conditions a universal health insurance
program would be supported. They were also asked their opinions on
whether or not employers should be obligated to provide coverage, and
whether tax breaks should be offered to companies. Additional topics
addressed terminally ill patients and the expense of keeping them
alive. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level,
household income, political party affiliation, political philosophy,
employment status, and marital status.